Instrument-board lamp



H. A. DOUGLAS INSTRUMENT BOARD LAMP Filed July 15, 1927 Patented Dead, ,l922'5. i r 3 barren HARRY A. DOUGLAS, or nnonsou, MICHIGAN.

INSTRUMENT-BOARD Lane.

Application filed July 15, 1927. Serial No. 206,026.

My invention relates to cowl lamps in ment of the invention, the sectional shutter which the cowls enclose or surround electric being unfolded to cover the light emitting incandescent lamp bulbs and are furnished opening in the cowlg Fig. 2 is a front elevawith openings which serve to define paths for t'ion of 1?? structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 60 the light emanating from the bulbs. The section view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. lamp structure ofiny invention is of particu- 4 a sectional view on line 4% of Fig. 3; lar iise when mounted upon the dash or in- Fig. 5 is a view on a. lar er scale of a part of 1": strument'l oard of tin-automotive vehicle. the structure illustrateo in Fig. 1, showing Apriorlamp structure of this general class the sectional shutter in folded adjustment 65 'included a horizontal elongated oval shaped and in an open position and omitting a finbase, an incandescent lamp bulb mounted ishing washer, this figure indicating the lamp thereon, a correspondingly shaped rounded bulb by dotted lines. in its passage through front hood or cowl mounted on the base and the cowl opening; and Fig. 6 is aperspective enclosing-the lamp, the hood or cowl being View illustrating the cowl and lamp socket 70 provided wit-ha sector shaped opening in its in one unitary structure and the finishing lower front portion to widen the path of the washer in separated relation thereto.

light, and a convex shutter pivotally mount- 7 The cowl 1 is of any suitable shape. As ed at its ends within the cowl and in one illustrated, it is oblong and has flat top and position adapted to completely close the bottom sides which are joined by semi-cylin- 75 opening of the cowl. and to supplement the d-rical end portions 2 and 3 and arounded round-ed front end thereof. My invention front portion 4. The light emitting opening has for its generalobject the elimination of 5 extends lengthwise of the cowl but termildie base on which the cowl and lamp bulb nates, at each end short of the semi-cylindriare both mounted, this object being acco1ncal portions 2 and 3 since it is found that this plished. by forming or uniting the cowl and opening need not be sector shaped when the the lamp bulb socket in a unitary structure, structure is used upon the dash board of an one of these elements, preferably the cowl, automobile. The lamp socket 6, preferably being secured to the-mounting board and car- V metallic. is provided with a flange 7 at its ryingthe other. In the prior device the oval front end. this flange being preferably square 8% shaped base was attached to the mounting in contour and having two oppositeedge porboard independently of the cowl and lamp tions in close contact with and preferably socket and served as amounting for the cowl soldered to the top and bottom sides of the and. socket; cowl this flange desirably having continua 7 My invention: has'as another feature the tions or aprons 8 and 9 extending at right 9 provision of a sectionalshutter for the light angles to the body thereof and in extended emitting opening of the cowl. The employ Contact with the top and bottom sides of the ment of this shutter enables the'useof a-narcowh these flange portions 8 and 9 being sol rower cowl whose light emitting opening. is dered to the cowl. The socket flange 7 is desuificiently wide to enable the insertion of sirahly received within an annular recess 10 95 .40 thethumh' and finger tips therethrough into provided at the forward end of the socket 6 the interior of the cowl when the shutter is which isnear the rear of the cowl. The front fully open, for. thepurpose of replacement of end of the socket is provided with bayonet the. lamp bulb. The shutter is desirably "slots or channels 11 which are adapted to refbrmed in two-:sections arranged inshingle 'ceive the bayonet pins or projections 12 eX- 100 fashion, bothsections being mounted to turn tending radially from the base 13 of an incanupon a common axis extending longitudinaldescent lamp bulb 1:1 this bulb being entirely 1y of the cowl, the shutter sections being within the interior of the cowl when its base v adaptedto turn w'ith:respect to each other in is fully assembled with said socket. I have both the opening and closing movements of illustrateda single pole lamp in which one 105 the shutter. The invention, however, is not terminal of the filament is suitably connected ,1 to be limited to the employmentof the secwith thebase 13 of, the lamp bulb which is,

tional shutter, as will be apparent. in such event, metallic to have electrical con- Theinve-ntion will be more fully explained tact with the metallic socket 6' that is suitby. reference togthe accompanying drawing, ably grounded. The other terminal of the 1 inwhich Fig. 1 is av sectional-view on line 1-1 filament is connected with the contact button of Fig. 2, illustrating the preferred embodi- 15 is provided upon and insulated from the rear end of the base 13. The lamp socket 6 encloses a coiled spring 16 and two insulating washers 17 and 18 between which the spring is interposed, the rear washer 18 being seated upon the inturned rear end of socket 6 and the forward washer 1? carrying a contact 19 which is pressed, by the spring 16, into electrical engagement with the contact 15. The circuit wire 20, by means of which the lamp filament is included in circuit, to minates in the contact 19.

The unitary structure comprising the united elements 1 and 6 is mounted upon the instrument board or other mounting 21 by attaching means provided upon one of thes elements. In the preferred embodiment o the invention, the attaching means comprises two ears 22 which are integral cont-inuations of the cowl and are preferably provided at the base of the cowl. These ears are formed with. perforations through which the threaded stems of attaching bolts 24: are passed, these bolt stems passing; through openings in the mounting board 21 and receiving clanuiing nuts 25 which on; the rear of the mounting; board. In furnishing the lamp tructures of my invention to the manufac rers of automotive vehicles, I also supply the anchoring; bolts which are carried. by the ears 2:2, the nuts being in place upon the bolt stems. In attaching the structure it is only necessary to unscrew the nuts, pass the stems of the bolts through the mounting board, and reapply the nuts to clamp the attaching; ears 22 tightly against the mounting board. if preferred, a finishing washer 2b of dish form may receive the rear of the cowl. this finishing; washer havinc; openings 27 througzfh which the bolt stems are passed. This finisl'iing washer is illustrated in each. view excepting Fig. 5, the structure shown in Fig. lacking this washer.

The opening 5 may be provided with a shutter to close or partially close said opening. When the lamp bulb let closely approaches the top and bottom sides of the cowl, the shutter is made in a plurality of sections, preferably two, 28 and 29, which are within the cowl and may be folded or unfolded, such a. shutter enabling the cowl opening 5 to be sufiiciently wide in order that the tips of the thuml and finger may be inserted into the cowl for the purpose of replacing; the bulb, Fig. 5 showing the shut ter fully opened and with its sections together and indicating the bulb, by dotted lines, in the actof being passed through said opening. The shutter sections are cylindrical in curvature to conform in shape to the cylindrical front of the cowl. The shutter sections are provided with rearwardly extending ears 30 and 31 which are journaled upon coaxial pins 32 that are provided within the cowl and upon the curved end walls 2 and 3 thereof. Said pins are coaxial with the shutopening 5 to ter sections 28 and 29and with the front portion of the cowl with which the shutter section 2-8 has snug sliding lit. The shutter section 29 is provided with a thumb and linger fiGtG that extends through the the exterior of the cowl. When l shutter sections are being" unfolded to lose the opening the thumb and finger p ece 33 is pressed downwardly until, the 3! upon the shutter section 29 ultimately go the l'i 34- that project toward each other from the cars 31 whereby positive ole..- ing' movement of he shutter section 28 follows after the shutter section 29 has been turned to a predeterminedextent.

Spring ears at) extending rear wardly from the rear edge of the shutter section 98 are adai, ed forengagement with the top of the cowl before the rear edge of the shutter section during; closing movement thereof,

reaches the upper marginal edge 5 of the cowl "CillUQ 5, to frrctionally resist any tendency f the shutter section 28 to move towards closed position with the shuttergsection suilicientl :tar to permit a gap to be formed between the rear edge of the shutter section l the edge 5 of the cowl openinn, the frictional resistance of the cars 35 beiag atapted to be rcrcome, however, by the ole force exerted on theshutter section 28 by the shutter section 29 after the cars 30 of the latter engage the lugs 3d of the former.

The sq are flange 7 may, if desired, be formed with sloping wings 36 which project toward the opening 5 and serve to intercept light passing from the bulb toward the rear of the cowl Where the finislung washer 26 is employed, it is desirably loosely held in assembly, for convenience in storage and shipment, with'the socket and cowl preferably by means of a spring tongue 37 struck from the socket 6. If desired, this tongue may terminate short of said washer when the cowl is fully received within the washer, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

Having; thus described my invention, I claim: r V

1. A lamp structure including an incandescent electric lamp bulb a socket in which the base of the bulb is separably receivedy and a cowl surrounding the bulb, said socket having a flange received within the cowl and secured thereto whereby the socket and cowl constitute a unitary structure, said unitary 7 socket being provided with atongue between which and the cowl saidfinishing washer is interposed.

3. A lamp structureincluding a cowl, a

lamp socket carried by said cowl, a finishing washer in closing relation to the rear of the cowl, and means forming a connection between said lamp socket and said washer holding the latter in closingrelation to the rear of the cowl. r

4. A lamp structure including a cowl, a lamp socket member carried by said cowl, a

finishing washer member in closing relation to the rear of the cowl, and a spring tongue carried by one of said members for engagement with the other to hold the washer member in closing relation to the rear of the cowl. j

V 5. A cowl having a lightemitting. opening therein, a shutter for closing said opening comprising a pair of sections movable relatively to one another, cooperating means between said sections whei'eby onesection I"ol-' lowing a predetermined amount of closing movement thereof positively imparts closing movement to the other section, and a friction device operating during at least a portion of the closing movement of said last mentioned section to resist such movement.

r 6. A cowl having a light emitting opening therein, a shutter for closing said opening comprising a pair of sections movable relatively to one another, cooperating means hetween said sections whereby one section following a predetermined amount of closing movement thereof positively imparts closing movement to the othersection, and a spring tongue carried by said last mentioned section for frictional engagement with said cowl dur ing at least a portion of the closing move-' ment of said last mentioned section to resist such movement.

7. A cowl having a light emitting aperture therein, a shutter for closing said aperture comprising inner and outer sections movable relatively into substantially complete overlapping relation with one another and into the cowl to an open position :ith respect to said aperture, a finger grip member on the inner section for moving it to closed and open positions, formations on said sections, respectively, spaced apart when th sections are disposed in substantially complete overlapping relation adapted to engage one another during closing movement of the inner section whereby closing movement of the inner section positively imparts closing movement to the outer section, and a friction device carried by the outer section for cooperation with the cowl to resist tendenc oi said outer sec' tion to move with said inner section in a clos ing direction during at leastthe latter part of the closing movement of said outer section.

8. A -lamp structure comprising a cowl open at its rear end, a lamp socket permanently assembled with said cowl, a finishing washer for closing the open rear end of said cowl, and means detachably connecting said finishing washer in closing relation to the open rear end of said cowl.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

' HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

